STEAM'S LAMENT Stanier & Ivatt Pacifics

46

Opposite: A well drilled fireman has 46221 Queen Elizabeth with her safety valves just whispering as they head another long rake on the steady climb
away from Euston with a down express during August 1960 past South Kenton. Unfortunately, steam is being emitted from the motion once again as
46221 Queen Elizabeth has charge of this featherweight parcels working under the control of the rather unimaginatively shaped and named
Chester No.1 Signal Box, most likely just a few weeks before she was withdrawn on 8 May 1963.
Photos: John Day Collection/Rail Photoprints & Jim Carter/Rail Online

47

48

Various modifications to the locomotives were made through their careers to all of the former streamliners, one of these was to enlarge the drivers front
window apertures to help with forward vision. The gap between the main running plate and the front buffer support would always be a giveaway to a
former streamliner though, as here at Carlisle Citadel with 46222 Queen Mary in her lined green livery on 12 September 1957. When new, she was
allocated to Camden until 29 November 1939 after which she became a Polmadie locomotive for the remainder of her life, thus making her a rarer
sight south of Crewe for spotters. This undated view of her passing Wigan probably dates from 1962, the box underneath the fireman’s window is for the
AWS (Automatic Warning System) batteries a safety feature that came late to the class. Photos: Colour Rail & Jim Carter/Rail Online

49

50

Another rarity for spotters and cameramen alike south of the border was to be 46223 Princess Alice, likewise a long-term resident of 66A Polmadie.
Someone has had a tin of light blue Scottish Region paint out to bling up the locomotive in this view from the mid-1950s at Carlisle Citadel, as here she
waits to be put back onto a northbound working to take her back home to Glasgow once again. On another occasion around the same time 46223
Princess Alice heads south with the up Caledonian around three miles north of Shap summit at Little Strickland close to Thrimby Grange.
Photos: Neville Stead Collection/The Transport Library & W.J. Verden Anderson/Rail Archive Stephenson

51

The fireman will need to get his injectors on to quieten down Polmadie’s 46224 Princess Alexandra before departure of this morning’s Royal Scot from
Glasgow Central on 14 April 1955. The boiler of this locomotive became a killer on two separate occasions due to footplatemen allowing the water
level to drop below the firebox crown, thus causing high-pressure steam to explode onto to themselves. The first incident was in 1940 killing the fireman
and severely burning his driver. The second in early 1948 killed the driver and left the fireman with terrible burns this time.
Neville Stead Collection/The Transport Library

52

Not ideal for freight duties due to their 6’ 9" driving
wheels but certainly powerful enough being a
Class 8 locomotive, 46224 Princess Alexandra drifts
solemnly past Balornock engine sheds in the Glasgow
suburbs early in the 1960s. Rail Online

53

In an attempt to re-instate some of the pre-war glamour back into the new nationalised railway several of the Coronation class Pacifics joined other
top-link locomotives in being turned out in a lined blue livery for a short while in the early 1950s. Among these was 46225 Duchess of Gloucester,
showing herself off here ex-works at Crewe on 26 March 1950. There were to be several interpretations of these early blue liveries, starting in May 1948
with all but nine of the thirty-eight strong class wearing one the blue liveries at one time or another in BR ownership. In fact, lined blue remained on
46225 Duchess of Gloucester until going into lined green as late as January 1955. Here she is thus, arriving with the up Mid-day Scot at Carlisle on
6 June 1953. Photos: Colour Rail & George C. Lander/Rail Photoprints

54

55